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Honestly, just forget it. You have entered a totally different world. I
moved here from SC with a degree in horticulture, and I had to relearn
everything.

Soil Woes

First off, our soil SUCKS. It is either sand or marl. You can read on this blog about How to Plant in Sand and How to Plant in Marl. In some areas of the state you may find clay or even soil full of limestone rocks, but by and large, these are the main two soils.

Northern Plants That Won't Grow Here

This may not apply in the panhandle, Z8b, but by and large -- Forget about

lilacs

most spring flowering bulbs

cherry trees

hostas (they have come out with a couple for FL, but they aren't nearly as nice)

peonies (I miss these)

zoysia and centipede grass

Florida Vegetable Gardening

We grow our "summer" veggies in the fall, winter and early spring. Forget summer vegetable gardens unless you happen to love

southern peas

okra

hot peppers

cherry tomatoes

eggplant

General Florida Gardening and Critters

Learn
to love tropical plants and flowers, tropical fruits, tropical
vegetables (for summer planting) and stuff you have never heard of
before that is not sold in any supermarket, anywhere, anytime.

Learn to adjust to a multitude of animals, lizards and huge insects you thought only existed in science experiments.

ALMOST EVERYTHING grows out of control and most things can become invasive or at least peskily rampant. Get used to pruning. If you hate pruning, don't plant shrubs. Don't go into a garden center asking for something that only gets 3 feet tall and blooms all year. There is no such plant, and they will laugh at you behind your back when you leave. I know this from experience.

Organic Gardening in Florida

Organic
gardening is harder down here, because of the insects that aren't killed off in the winter, the lousy soil, and
because it really is the HUMIDITY, not the heat. Humidity causes fungus
and mildew and all sorts of horrid diseases that you will fight
constantly.

Growing Roses in Florida

Roses are labor-intensive down here. They have to be
planted on special rootstocks, and many of your favorites will not grow
down here no matter what you do, such as Lady Banks rose (which I also
miss). Weekly spraying for insects and fungus is a must. Roses die off
after a few years just because they never go dormant and grow themselves
to death. There are not a lot, or maybe not any, 100 year old rose bushes in
FL, except maybe in extreme N. FL. Here is some info on growing roses:

Full sun in the garden can be your enemy and shade is your
best friend. Lots of the most beautiful and easy-to-grow tropicals
require shade, such as most gingers, orchids and bromeliads, so if your first inclination is to chop down all those beautiful shade trees, you may want to think twice.

It's a
lot to learn. I've been gardening here for over 20 years, and just
moved from the south of FL to the north of FL; now I have to learn it all over
again. May take me another 20 years.